“I only had two friends left by the time the relationship ended. But thank God for them. If they hadn’t stuck by me I don’t know if I ever would have had the courage to leave him.” Paulo, 51

Providing Support

There are a number of things you can look out for if you think a friend is experiencing domestic and family violence.

Your friend may be:

unusually nervous, depressed or withdrawn;

overly anxious about their partner or their partner’s moods;

increasingly isolated from friends or family; or

may have unexplained physical injuries e.g. cuts, bruises or sprains.

Your friend’s partner may:

put them down a lot in front of you or others;

order them about or be making all the decisions; or

control all the money or social activities or contact with friends.

Any of these things may indicate that your friend or family member is experiencing domestic and family violence. If you are not sure, you could call the 1800RESPECT Helpline (1800 737 732) to talk about what you have noticed. You can keep your friend’s identity confidential.